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Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2016

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Louisiana Election
Primary Date:
November 8, 2016
General Election Date:
December 10, 2016
November Election Winner:
Mike Francis (R), Lambert Boissiere, III (D)
Incumbent Prior to Election:
Clyde Holloway (R), Lambert Boissiere, III (D)
State Executive Elections
Top Ballot
None
Down Ballot
Public Service Commission
Key election dates
Filing date:
July 22, 2016
Primary date:
November 8, 2016
General election date:
December 10, 2016
Recount request deadline:
TBD
Inauguration:
TBD


Louisiana held an election for public service commissioner in Districts 3 and District 4 on November 8, 2016. The winning candidates in both districts—incumbent Lambert Boissiere, III (D) in District 3 and Mike Francis (R) in District 4—received a majority of the overall votes cast, eliminating the need for a general election on December 10, 2016.

Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Republicans controlled the commission by a 3-2 margin until October 2016, when Commissioner Clyde Holloway (R) passed away. Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) appointed former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives Charlie DeWitt (D) to fill Holloway's seat.
  • Commissioner Lambert Boissiere, III (D) ran unopposed in the third district and was therefore re-elected.
  • Two Republicans and one Democrat filed to run for Holloway's seat in the November blanket primary.
  • Mike Francis won over 50 percent of the vote in the District 4 race, preventing a December run-off election and ensuring that Republicans retained their 3-2 majority on the commission.

    • Candidates

    District 3

    Lambert Boissiere Cropped.jpg
    Lambert Boissiere, III (D)
    Most recent position: Louisiana Public Service Commissioner since 2005
    Past experience: Constable with the First City Court of New Orleans, 1997-2004

    District 4

    Mary Werner.jpg
    Mary Werner (D)
    Most recent position: Director, Sweet Lake Land & Oil Company
    Past experience: Director of several volunteer and nonprofit organizations

    Mike Francis.png
    Mike Francis (R)
    Most recent position: CEO, Francis Drilling Fluids
    Past experience: Chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party

    Reldon Owens.jpg
    Reldon Owens (R)
    Most recent position: Director of external relations, Diamond B Construction Co., LLC
    Past experience: Unknown

    Results

    Incumbent Lambert Boissiere, III ran unopposed in the Louisiana public service commission, District 3 election.

    Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3, 2016
    Party Candidate
        Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Lambert Boissiere, III Incumbent (unopposed)
    Source: The New York Times

    Mike Francis defeated Mary Werner and Reldon Owens in the Louisiana public service commission, District 4 election.

    Louisiana Public Service Commission District 4, 2016
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mike Francis 53.66% 175,074
         Democratic Mary Werner 33.14% 108,134
         Republican Reldon Owens 13.20% 43,079
    Total Votes 326,287
    Source: The New York Times

    About the office

    See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission

    The Louisiana Public Service Commission is a five-member executive board in the Louisiana state government. The commission was originally established by the Louisiana Constitution of 1921. It succeeded the Railroad Commission of 1898.[1]

    Pre-election officeholders

    The Louisiana Public Service Commission includes the following members:[2]

    District Commissioner Party
    1 Eric Skrmetta Ends.png Republican
    2 Scott Angelle Ends.png Republican
    3 Lambert Boissiere, III Electiondot.png Democratic
    4 Charlie DeWitt Electiondot.png Democratic
    5 Foster Campbell Electiondot.png Democratic

    Authority

    Article 4, Section 21 A(1) of the Louisiana Constitution establishes a Public Service Commission, headed by the chair, which is selected by the commission:

    There shall be a Public Service Commission in the executive branch. It shall consist of five members, who shall be elected for overlapping terms of six years at the time fixed for congressional elections from single member districts established by law. The commission annually shall elect one member as chairman...[3]

    Elections

    Commissioners serve overlapping six-year terms and are elected the same time as congressional elections.[3]

    Past elections

    2014
    See also: Louisiana down ballot state executive elections, 2014
    District 1
    Public Service Commissioner of Louisiana, District 1 General Election, 2014
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Republican Green check mark transparent.pngEric Skrmetta Incumbent 50.8% 120,032
         Republican Forest Wright 49.2% 116,042
    Total Votes 236,074
    Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State Vote totals above are unofficial and reflect 100% precincts reporting.
    District 5
    Public Service Commissioner of Louisiana, District 5, 2014
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngFoster Campbell Incumbent 61.5% 169,098
         Republican Keith Gates 38.5% 105,918
    Total Votes 275,016
    Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State
    2012
    • 2012 Primary Election

    Scott Angelle (R) defeated four opponents in the primary election on November 6, 2012. He earned over 57 percent of the vote, which qualified him to bypass the general election on December 8th.

    Louisiana Public Service Commission Primary Election, 2012
    Party Candidate Vote % Votes
         Republican Green check mark transparent.pngScott Angelle 57.2% 213,485
         Democratic Forest Wright 20.5% 76,336
         Republican Erich Ponti 11.6% 43,287
         Republican Sarah Holliday 7.6% 28,214
         Independent Greg Gaubert 3.2% 11,758
    Total Votes 373,080
    Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State


    Term limits

    Article 4, Section 21 A(2) of the Louisiana Constitution establishes term limits for commissioners:

    No person who has served as a member of the commission for more than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms shall be elected to the commission for the succeeding term...[3]

    Duties

    Article 4, Section 21 B of the Louisiana Constitution outlines the powers and duties of the commission:

    • Regulate all common carriers and public utilities and have such other regulatory authority as provided by law.
    • Adopt and enforce reasonable rules, regulations and procedures necessary for the discharge of its duties, and shall have other powers and perform other duties as provided by law.[3]
    Click here to view a larger-scale image of the Louisiana PSC Organizational Chart as of March 2013.

    State budget

    See also: Louisiana state budget and finances

    The Public Service Commission's budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 was $9,295,852.[4]

    Compensation

    See also: Compensation of state executive officers

    2014

    In 2014, the commissioners were paid an estimated $130,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]

    2013

    In 2013, the commissioners were paid an estimated $130,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]

    2010

    In 2010, the commissioners were paid an estimated $130,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

    State profile

    Louisiana's population in 2014 was 4,649,676.

    According to the United States Census Bureau, Louisiana's population was 4,649,676 in 2014. This estimate represented a 2.6 percent increase from the Bureau's 2010 estimate. The state's population per square mile was 104.9 in 2010, exceeding the national average of 87.4.

    Louisiana experienced a 1.7 percent increase in total employment from 2011 to 2012, falling below the 2.2 percent increase at the national level during the same period.[8]

    Demographics

    Louisiana fell below the national average for residents who attained at least bachelor's degrees, according to data from 2009 to 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 21.8 percent of Louisiana residents ages 25 and older attained bachelor's degrees, compared to 28.8 percent at the national level.

    The median household income in Louisiana was $44,874 between 2009 and 2013, compared to a $53,046 national median income. Census information showed a 19.8 percent poverty rate in Louisiana during the study period, while the national poverty rate was 14.5 percent.[8] To expand the boxes below, click [show] on the right side of each box.

    Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Election 2016. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2016 - Google News

    See also

    Louisiana government:

    Previous elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Louisiana Public Service Commission, "Homepage," accessed July 15, 2011
    2. ↑ Louisiana Public Service Commission, "Commissioners," accessed January 30, 2016
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Louisiana State Legislature, "Louisiana Constitution of 1974," accessed January 30, 2016
    4. ↑ State of Louisiana, "State Budget Fiscal Year 2013-2013," 73," accessed June27, 2013
    5. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 24, 2014
    6. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Table 4.11 Selected State Administrative Officials Salaries," accessed January 23, 2014
    7. ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed June 21, 2011
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts Beta," accessed March 24, 2015
    9. ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Elections Results," accessed April 15, 2015
    10. ↑ The American Presidency Project, "Presidential Elections Data," accessed March 24, 2015



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